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Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai

Malayalam novelist and short story writer

Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai, known by his pen name Thakazhi, was born on 1912, at Thakazhi. He started off as a lawyer but took to full time writing later. Pathivratha, Adiyozhukku, Prathijna, Inquilab, Nithyakanyaka, Puthumalar, Maanchuvattil, and Makalude Makal are the prominent ones among his 20 short story collections. His novels are Chemmeen, Thottiyude Makan, Kayar, Anubhavangal Palichakal, Pathithapankajam, Pennu, Perillakkatha, Chukku, and Nurayum Pathayum. His Chemmeen (The Shrimps) is one of the few works of fiction in an Indian language to gain worldwide recognition. It features the life of fishermen. The novel has been translated into all the major Indian languages and also into quite a few foreign languages. The lengthiest novel, Kayar (Coir) tells the evolutionary history of the past 250 years of Kerala. Thakazhi was bestowed with several awards of which the prominent are Jnanapeedam Award, Ezhuthachan Prize, Vayalar Award, Kendra Sahithya Academy awards, Kerala Sahithya Academy awards and Sahithya Academy Fellowship. He has been honored with Padmabhooshan in 1985. He passed away on 10th April 1999.